Counties in Missouri by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate)

Hickory County had the highest unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 115 counties in 2023, at 12.1%. Scotland County had the lowest, at 0.8%. The median was 4.1% and the figure for Missouri was 4.1%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest12.1Hickory County
Median4.1115 counties
Missouri4.1History

Map of counties, 2023

Adair County: 4.9 %Andrew County: 4 %Atchison County: 2.3 %Audrain County: 4.1 %Barry County: 4.1 %Barton County: 4.1 %Bates County: 6.1 %Benton County: 3.9 %Bollinger County: 4.9 %Boone County: 3.7 %Buchanan County: 4.5 %Butler County: 4.9 %Caldwell County: 4.5 %Callaway County: 5.6 %Camden County: 4.8 %Cape Girardeau County: 2.9 %Carroll County: 5.2 %Carter County: 2.9 %Cass County: 4.6 %Cedar County: 2.5 %Chariton County: 3.2 %Christian County: 3.6 %Clark County: 5.8 %Clay County: 3.9 %Clinton County: 4.4 %Cole County: 3 %Cooper County: 4.5 %Crawford County: 5.4 %Dade County: 4.3 %Dallas County: 4 %Daviess County: 1.8 %DeKalb County: 2.3 %Dent County: 4.2 %Douglas County: 5.3 %Dunklin County: 4.7 %Franklin County: 4.4 %Gasconade County: 2.9 %Gentry County: 2.7 %Greene County: 3.5 %Grundy County: 2.8 %Harrison County: 3.3 %Henry County: 5.5 %Hickory County: 12.1 %Holt County: 2.1 %Howard County: 4.1 %Howell County: 5.1 %Iron County: 3.3 %Jackson County: 4.8 %Jasper County: 4.1 %Jefferson County: 3.6 %Johnson County: 4.9 %Knox County: 4.1 %Laclede County: 5.5 %Lafayette County: 2.2 %Lawrence County: 5 %Lewis County: 6 %Lincoln County: 3.2 %Linn County: 2.6 %Livingston County: 2.8 %McDonald County: 7.2 %Macon County: 3.5 %Madison County: 6.9 %Maries County: 4.5 %Marion County: 3.5 %Mercer County: 2.4 %Miller County: 5.2 %Mississippi County: 3.8 %Moniteau County: 2.5 %Monroe County: 1.6 %Montgomery County: 2.8 %Morgan County: 3.5 %New Madrid County: 3.4 %Newton County: 4.9 %Nodaway County: 2.9 %Oregon County: 4.1 %Osage County: 1.8 %Ozark County: 5.7 %Pemiscot County: 9.7 %Perry County: 4.8 %Pettis County: 4 %Phelps County: 4.4 %Pike County: 4.8 %Platte County: 3.5 %Polk County: 3.5 %Pulaski County: 5 %Putnam County: 3.8 %Ralls County: 3.9 %Randolph County: 4.4 %Ray County: 2.1 %Reynolds County: 10.6 %Ripley County: 4.6 %St. Charles County: 2.8 %St. Clair County: 2.5 %Ste. Genevieve County: 4.7 %St. Francois County: 5 %St. Louis County: 4.2 %Saline County: 2.5 %Schuyler County: 4.7 %Scotland County: 0.8 %Scott County: 3.2 %Shannon County: 3 %Shelby County: 1 %Stoddard County: 3.7 %Stone County: 7.2 %Sullivan County: 2.4 %Taney County: 4.5 %Texas County: 4.6 %Vernon County: 3.9 %Warren County: 3.8 %Washington County: 3.8 %Wayne County: 7.7 %Webster County: 4.2 %Worth County: 1.2 %Wright County: 4.1 %St. Louis city: 5.1 %
  • Under 2.8
  • 2.8 to 3.5
  • 3.5 to 4.1
  • 4.1 to 4.5
  • 4.5 to 5
  • 5 and over
%, 2023. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2023

Hickory County: 12.1 %Hickory County12.1Reynolds County: 10.6 %Reynolds County10.6Pemiscot County: 9.7 %Pemiscot County9.7Wayne County: 7.7 %Wayne County7.7McDonald County: 7.2 %McDonald County7.2Stone County: 7.2 %Stone County7.2Madison County: 6.9 %Madison County6.9Bates County: 6.1 %Bates County6.1Lewis County: 6 %Lewis County6Clark County: 5.8 %Clark County5.8Ozark County: 5.7 %Ozark County5.7Callaway County: 5.6 %Callaway County5.6Henry County: 5.5 %Henry County5.5Laclede County: 5.5 %Laclede County5.5Crawford County: 5.4 %Crawford County5.4Douglas County: 5.3 %Douglas County5.3Carroll County: 5.2 %Carroll County5.2Miller County: 5.2 %Miller County5.2Howell County: 5.1 %Howell County5.1St. Louis city: 5.1 %St. Louis city5.1Lawrence County: 5 %Lawrence County5Pulaski County: 5 %Pulaski County5St. Francois County: 5 %St. Francois County5Johnson County: 4.9 %Johnson County4.9Adair County: 4.9 %Adair County4.9Butler County: 4.9 %Butler County4.9Bollinger County: 4.9 %Bollinger County4.9Newton County: 4.9 %Newton County4.9Pike County: 4.8 %Pike County4.8Perry County: 4.8 %Perry County4.8Jackson County: 4.8 %Jackson County4.8Camden County: 4.8 %Camden County4.8Dunklin County: 4.7 %Dunklin County4.7Schuyler County: 4.7 %Schuyler County4.7Ste. Genevieve County: 4.7 %Ste. Genevieve County4.7Ripley County: 4.6 %Ripley County4.6Cass County: 4.6 %Cass County4.6Texas County: 4.6 %Texas County4.6Cooper County: 4.5 %Cooper County4.5Taney County: 4.5 %Taney County4.5Hickory County: 12.1 %Hickory County12.1Reynolds County: 10.6 %Reynolds County10.6Pemiscot County: 9.7 %Pemiscot County9.7Wayne County: 7.7 %Wayne County7.7McDonald County: 7.2 %McDonald County7.2Stone County: 7.2 %Stone County7.2Madison County: 6.9 %Madison County6.9Bates County: 6.1 %Bates County6.1Lewis County: 6 %Lewis County6Clark County: 5.8 %Clark County5.8Ozark County: 5.7 %Ozark County5.7Callaway County: 5.6 %Callaway County5.6Henry County: 5.5 %Henry County5.5Laclede County: 5.5 %Laclede County5.5Crawford County: 5.4 %Crawford County5.4Douglas County: 5.3 %Douglas County5.3Carroll County: 5.2 %Carroll County5.2Miller County: 5.2 %Miller County5.2Howell County: 5.1 %Howell County5.1St. Louis city: 5.1 %St. Louis city5.1Lawrence County: 5 %Lawrence County5Pulaski County: 5 %Pulaski County5St. Francois County: 5 %St. Francois County5Johnson County: 4.9 %Johnson County4.9Adair County: 4.9 %Adair County4.9Butler County: 4.9 %Butler County4.9Bollinger County: 4.9 %Bollinger County4.9Newton County: 4.9 %Newton County4.9Pike County: 4.8 %Pike County4.8Perry County: 4.8 %Perry County4.8Jackson County: 4.8 %Jackson County4.8Camden County: 4.8 %Camden County4.8Dunklin County: 4.7 %Dunklin County4.7Schuyler County: 4.7 %Schuyler County4.7Ste. Genevieve County: 4.7 %Ste. Genevieve County4.7Ripley County: 4.6 %Ripley County4.6Cass County: 4.6 %Cass County4.6Texas County: 4.6 %Texas County4.6Cooper County: 4.5 %Cooper County4.5Taney County: 4.5 %Taney County4.5
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2023 (%)Change on 2022
1Hickory County12.1+3.3 pts
2Reynolds County10.6+0.6 pts
3Pemiscot County9.7+0.2 pts
4Wayne County7.7-0.5 pts
5McDonald County7.2+1.4 pts
6Stone County7.2-1.1 pts
7Madison County6.9+1.8 pts
8Bates County6.1-1.4 pts
9Lewis County60 pts
10Clark County5.8+1.8 pts
11Ozark County5.7-0.4 pts
12Callaway County5.6+0.3 pts
13Henry County5.5-1.3 pts
13Laclede County5.5-0.4 pts
15Crawford County5.4-1.5 pts
16Douglas County5.3-1.3 pts
17Carroll County5.2+0.5 pts
18Miller County5.2+0.6 pts
19Howell County5.1-0.4 pts
19St. Louis city5.1-0.4 pts
21Lawrence County5-0.2 pts
22Pulaski County5+0.3 pts
23St. Francois County5+0.1 pts
24Johnson County4.9+0.2 pts
25Adair County4.9-0.6 pts
25Butler County4.9-0.4 pts
27Bollinger County4.90 pts
28Newton County4.9+0.6 pts
29Pike County4.80 pts
30Perry County4.8-0.4 pts
31Jackson County4.8-0.1 pts
32Camden County4.8-0.5 pts
33Dunklin County4.7-1.1 pts
33Schuyler County4.7+2.4 pts
35Ste. Genevieve County4.7-0.2 pts
36Ripley County4.6+1 pts
37Cass County4.6+0.1 pts
38Texas County4.6-1.4 pts
39Cooper County4.5-0.4 pts
40Taney County4.5-0.6 pts
41Maries County4.5-1.1 pts
42Buchanan County4.5-0.3 pts
43Caldwell County4.5-0.3 pts
44Clinton County4.4-1.7 pts
45Phelps County4.4+0.2 pts
45Randolph County4.4-0.9 pts
47Franklin County4.4-0.2 pts
48Dade County4.3-1.4 pts
49Webster County4.2-0.6 pts
50Dent County4.2-0.6 pts
50St. Louis County4.2-0.1 pts
52Oregon County4.1-0.4 pts
52Wright County4.1-0.7 pts
54Audrain County4.1+0.2 pts
55Barry County4.1+0.5 pts
55Barton County4.1-2.1 pts
55Howard County4.1-0.4 pts
55Jasper County4.1-0.1 pts
59Knox County4.1+2 pts
60Andrew County4-0.1 pts
60Pettis County4+0.2 pts
62Dallas County4-0.9 pts
63Ralls County3.9-1.3 pts
64Benton County3.9-1.1 pts
65Clay County3.9-0.1 pts
66Vernon County3.9-0.1 pts
67Putnam County3.8-0.2 pts
68Mississippi County3.8-1.2 pts
69Warren County3.8-1 pts
70Washington County3.8-0.7 pts
71Boone County3.7-0.2 pts
71Stoddard County3.7-0.5 pts
73Jefferson County3.6-0.2 pts
74Christian County3.6-0 pts
75Platte County3.5-0.1 pts
76Macon County3.5-0.3 pts
76Marion County3.5+0.6 pts
78Greene County3.5-0.4 pts
79Polk County3.5-0.1 pts
80Morgan County3.5-0 pts
81New Madrid County3.4-0.6 pts
82Harrison County3.3+1.1 pts
83Iron County3.3-0 pts
84Chariton County3.2-1.1 pts
85Lincoln County3.2-0.2 pts
85Scott County3.2+0.3 pts
87Shannon County3+0.3 pts
88Cole County3-0.1 pts
89Gasconade County2.9+0.8 pts
90Cape Girardeau County2.9-0.2 pts
90Carter County2.9+1.8 pts
90Nodaway County2.9+0.6 pts
93St. Charles County2.8-0.3 pts
94Grundy County2.8-1.3 pts
95Montgomery County2.8-0.2 pts
96Livingston County2.8-0.3 pts
97Gentry County2.7-0.2 pts
98Linn County2.6-0.1 pts
99Saline County2.5-0.2 pts
100Cedar County2.5-0 pts
101Moniteau County2.5-0.5 pts
102St. Clair County2.50 pts
103Sullivan County2.40 pts
104Mercer County2.4-0.6 pts
105DeKalb County2.3-0.8 pts
106Atchison County2.3-0.3 pts
107Lafayette County2.2-0.2 pts
108Holt County2.1-1.8 pts
108Ray County2.1-0.9 pts
110Daviess County1.8-0.2 pts
111Osage County1.8+0.8 pts
112Monroe County1.6+0.4 pts
113Worth County1.2+0.4 pts
114Shelby County1-0 pts
115Scotland County0.8-0.4 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Unemployed civilians aged 16 and over as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

An average over five years of survey responses, so it moves slowly. The official monthly and annual rates for states and counties are unemployment_rate, from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs (Counties in Missouri by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in Missouri by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/missouri-counties?period=2023. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs. Counties in Missouri by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/missouri-counties?period=2023.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in Missouri by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/missouri-counties?period=2023 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_missouri_by_2023,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in Missouri by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/missouri-counties?period=2023. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in Missouri by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/missouri-counties?period=2023
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/missouri-counties?period=2023.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

Which county has the highest unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Hickory County, with 12.1% in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Scotland County, with 0.8% in 2023.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate): other rankings

Counties in Missouri: more rankings